Reducing outgoings - hairdressers

[TheMindfulMum]

Okay, so I've been going to my hairdresser for about 8 years. I have always loved the whole experience and have seen it as my treat to myself every 8-10 weeks. 3-4 hours of no kids, adult chat and a few hot drinks. I don't spend any other money on me as I don't drink coffee or have magazine subscriptions and I don't have any other beauty outgoings like nails or brows.

However, over the last 2 years every time I go the price keeps going up. Two years ago it cost me about £100. The last visit cost me £160 😱 I'm now at the stage where sadly I just can't afford that amount of money on a hair appt.

It's a small salon owned by my hairdresser. Initially, mid pandemic I felt like I was supporting the business after it had been closed for so long and I could justify the extra £5/£10 increase each time. But last time I sat there and we were chatting and I just realised we are now worlds apart. His partner gave up work a year ago to find himself so they've lived off his wage in this time, they've just had a whole month travelling in Asia, we chat a lot about food as we're both foodies and he admitted they eat out more than at home. The restaurant recommendations he was giving me were WAY out of my budget.

I now don't feel excited about my next appt. I've only just cleared the money on my credit card from my previous appt. This isn't a luxury I can afford anymore. I wish it were and I wish the salon all the success but whilst their business is clearly booming enough to be living quite comfortably it would seem, we're cutting back like many other families are having to.

So my question is, how much do you pay for your hair? I have mid length hair and have a full head of highlights (usually 2/3 colours) and a cut and blow dry (tbf it's usually just a trim as I never change the style).

Also, cheaper salons, are their products worse on your hair? If I shop around for an alternative are there questions I should be asking about the products other salons use?

Find a mobile hairdresser. I'm in South London and I get the same services you get for £120 all in.

I miss getting my hair shampooed (have to rinse it in the shower instead) but it's worth the savings.

I have quite dark hair so what I did after a couple of saloon visit was just touch it up myself with box dye. Local training colleges do a good cut.

When I lived in London I used to get my hair done by students at places like Sassoon - excellent value because all the students were already professional hairdressers just learning the ‘Sassoon style’ and did a fabulous job.

I have balayage every year to 15 months, olaplex cut and blow dry for £150. A regular wash cut and blow dry is £55.
I think you need to revisit your style to make it more maintenance friendly? How about a change of colour so no need for the regular highlights?

Lots to consider here, thank you for all your comments. Perhaps a starting point is a conversation with current hairdresser about reducing cost. I don't want to offend him but it appears there are options having read all the replies here. I'm not one to wear my heart on my sleeve as it were. We don't earn a lot but we make it work by budgeting each month but we don't talk about any of that outside of our 4 walls. Hence £160 is now just too much and what if it's another £10 next time... where will it stop. So it will be an unusual conversation for me to have but one I'm sure he may well be having with other clients too in the current climate.

I don't get the impression though it will get it as low as some of the comments posted here (salon, not mobile) so I guess I need to figure out what I'm comfortable with and go from there.

If I did go elsewhere, which seems totally alien to me having been going to where I go for so long now, where do I start looking? I like the idea of going to someone who's got a set up in their garden perhaps but I don't know where to look for that. Facebook I guess but I'm always a bit sceptical of reviews as they can just be friends and family posting and you wouldn't know.

There are lots of mobile hairdressers and people who work from home who are much cheaper as they don't have the overheads, so look for them in your local Facebook groups. A friend used to charge me £20 for a cut and £40 to do my highlights!

I doubt your current salon will do things cheaper. Once you take the plunge and try elsewhere you will realise that hairdressers are much the same but the cost is like a brand, the more "prestigious" the higher the prices.

I used to pay £60 a time but started using a home hairdresser when I had chemotherapy and have continued. She charges £15 for a cut / dry. I've not had a colour yet because I started doing my own in lockdown but she charges £55 for full highlights.
She used to work in a salon, is late 20s and always very busy. I found her as she was at school with one of my DC.
Look on your local village / town FB page, if you can't find anything then post a question.

Similar to you, costs me £135 every 6 weeks. My hairdresser works from her home. I think I pay quite a lot but I don’t want to change, I’ve been going to her for years.